The Law: Sharp Line on Free Speech

Just what does free speech include? How obscene must a book or film be
to lose the First Amendment protection? When can a soldier speak
without fear of being punished for his words? Last week the question
being argued before the court was whether or not a teacher can be fired
by a public-school board for criticizing the superintendent of schools.
In light of the continual immediacy of the problem, court watchers were
looking carefully at Justice Hugo Black's Carpentier Lectures (TIME,
March 29)particularly at the final talk, in which Black dwelled on
picketing and other forms of so-called symbolic speech.